Freya in The Garden of Soul (Ep 15)- Photo & Text by Irina Gache

Freya in the Garden of Soul is an episode-based surrealist novel that I decided to publish online as I go along with the writing process. It focuses on the journey of a character named Freya in the realms of the unconscious where she meets and interacts with different phantasmagorical characters that challenge her sense of self through different riddles and sayings that may be perceived as subtitle advice from inner guides.

Full of metaphors, parables, and leads, Freya aims to lead the reader on a journey of inner discovery that anyone can relate to if immersed in the story with an open mind. She will question herself, what she sees, feels and thinks and the world in the labyrinth she found herself into, provoking everyone that enters with her to do that as well.

Her footsteps vibrate on the moist ground as she makes her way through the forest holding the light in one hand and the sword in the other. Each step she makes leaves a bright mark on the soil, which shines like a light behind her. She sees a house not far. Freya heads towards it with curiosity and fear. The house seems abandoned and without light. She pushes the door and enters. The light she holds brightens the room. It looked as if nobody had been living there for ages, cracked walls, dirt, and spider webs hanging from the ceiling. The air smelled like heavy death, a death of someone gone too soon. Everything is covered in dust and hard to perceive.

“You came!” she hears a voice from behind her. Freya drops her light frightened to hear the voice taking her by surprise. She looks behind and sees a shadow silhouette.

“Fear me not, for looking at me, you will have the light.” says the shadow. Freya looks straight at the shadow and feels her whole body trembling.

“Who are you?” asks Freya.

“Who are YOU?” says the shadow.

“I am Freya. Is this your house?”

“It’s both our house. I feared you’d lose your courage to come here.”

“This is absurd! This is not my house and I have no idea who you are!” says Freya getting angry.

“My dear, it’s time for you to leave this house, for both of us to leave it.”

Freya storms to the door and tries to open it, but it’s locked.

“Let me out of here! Give me the key and stop playing games!” says Freya both angry and fearful.

“We can’t leave this place until you look at me carefully and then at yourself. I am no more playing games that you are not playing and you’ve already been defeated at them.” Freya turns around and looks at the silhouette, but holding one hand on the doorknob ready to run.

“The Christic cross has now lost its value; it no longer serves you or the world any good! The sacrifices you have made of yourself are not in tune with what it is needed from you. Do you feel it?” asks the shadow.

Freya feels rushes of energy coming up her spine. She lets go of the door and faints. When she opens her eyes, she realizes she is laying with her head on a nightstand with drawers, but can’t move.

“Now, that you woke up, it’s time for you take back what’s yours!” says the shadow.

“It hurt me; it hurt me to be so alone, so many times when all I wanted was love and understanding. It hurt me to give everything to others and keep none for myself. It hurt to go against all that I was feeling was right. It hurt me that I abandoned this beauty inside and that I fought against you, myself. I am sorry I denied you, I denied myself and ran away.” says Freya crying, clenching her hand on the bottom drawer, opening it. A beam of bright light comes out of it. Freya lifts her head up and looks at the shadow standing close to her, almost touching her. She feels no more fear and reaches her arms to the shadow embracing it.

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About the author: Irina Gache is a visual artist and writer from Bucharest, Romania. You can find more about her by checking her portfolio or by following her on Facebook. Stay tuned for her next episodes.

Irina Gache is a visual artist and writer from Bucharest, Romania. Her main preoccupation is photography but she also loves to give life to images through other media like paintings and collages. When she writes she does it in a surrealist way and allures the reader into the text by making it very visual and with riddle-like challenges. "I like my text to move like a motion picture in the reader's mind where he/she can project himself/herself into. When I write I see a whole movie being created".

Issue no. 4 –– Dreams & Nightmares

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